Graphic Designers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for graphic designers is $62,960, or $30.27 per hour. About 197,830 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $87,920 in District of Columbia to $40,350 in West Virginia.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $87,920 | $42.27 | 1,150 | 1.29 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $78,220 | $37.61 | 750 | 1.17 |
| 3 | New York | $77,340 | $37.19 | 14,530 | 1.18 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $76,710 | $36.88 | 4,450 | 0.96 |
| 5 | California | $75,130 | $36.12 | 27,390 | 1.18 |
| 6 | Maryland | $75,120 | $36.12 | 3,050 | 0.87 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $73,790 | $35.48 | 5,670 | 1.04 |
| 8 | Washington | $72,710 | $34.96 | 3,960 | 0.88 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $72,700 | $34.95 | 1,930 | 0.89 |
| 10 | Virginia | $72,310 | $34.77 | 4,740 | 0.91 |
| 11 | Colorado | $66,330 | $31.89 | 4,200 | 1.15 |
| 12 | Oregon | $66,040 | $31.75 | 4,140 | 1.66 |
| 13 | Vermont | $65,690 | $31.58 | 410 | 1.06 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $63,860 | $30.70 | 5,570 | 1.48 |
| 15 | Nevada | $62,890 | $30.24 | 1,570 | 0.80 |
| 16 | Alaska | $62,570 | $30.08 | 180 | 0.45 |
| 17 | Illinois | $62,560 | $30.08 | 8,960 | 1.15 |
| 18 | Utah | $62,310 | $29.96 | 2,720 | 1.23 |
| 19 | Florida | $61,660 | $29.65 | 12,660 | 1.00 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $60,730 | $29.20 | 8,150 | 1.06 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $60,490 | $29.08 | 790 | 0.91 |
| 22 | Georgia | $60,250 | $28.97 | 5,920 | 0.95 |
| 23 | Texas | $60,150 | $28.92 | 13,670 | 0.76 |
| 24 | Delaware | $60,130 | $28.91 | 360 | 0.58 |
| 25 | Ohio | $60,080 | $28.88 | 7,280 | 1.03 |
| 26 | Maine | $60,030 | $28.86 | 560 | 0.69 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $59,900 | $28.80 | 4,130 | 1.10 |
| 28 | Arizona | $58,510 | $28.13 | 3,560 | 0.86 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $58,450 | $28.10 | 5,660 | 0.90 |
| 30 | Hawaii | $58,070 | $27.92 | 520 | 0.65 |
| 31 | Michigan | $57,350 | $27.57 | 6,070 | 1.08 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $57,270 | $27.54 | 3,880 | 0.93 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $57,170 | $27.49 | 1,930 | 0.66 |
| 34 | Montana | $56,890 | $27.35 | 610 | 0.93 |
| 35 | Missouri | $56,750 | $27.28 | 4,500 | 1.20 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $56,730 | $27.27 | 850 | 0.77 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $56,700 | $27.26 | 1,670 | 1.28 |
| 38 | North Dakota | $56,470 | $27.15 | 460 | 0.85 |
| 39 | Indiana | $55,480 | $26.67 | 3,450 | 0.85 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $53,630 | $25.78 | 2,040 | 0.94 |
| 41 | Kansas | $53,630 | $25.79 | 1,730 | 0.94 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $52,960 | $25.46 | 2,060 | 0.81 |
| 43 | Alabama | $51,070 | $24.55 | 1,760 | 0.65 |
| 44 | Idaho | $50,350 | $24.21 | 920 | 0.84 |
| 45 | Iowa | $50,310 | $24.19 | 2,100 | 1.06 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $49,910 | $23.99 | 1,750 | 0.71 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $48,390 | $23.26 | 470 | 0.81 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $46,220 | $22.22 | 1,390 | 0.84 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $45,640 | $21.94 | 830 | 0.56 |
| 50 | Wyoming | $45,150 | $21.71 | 240 | 0.67 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $40,350 | $19.40 | 520 | 0.58 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do graphic designers make?
The median annual wage for graphic designers in the United States is $62,960, or $30.27 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $39,520, and the top 10% earn $104,910.
How many graphic designers are employed in the U.S.?
About 197,830 people work as graphic designers nationwide.
Which state pays graphic designers the most?
District of Columbia pays the most at a median of $87,920, followed by Rhode Island ($78,220) and New York ($77,340).
Which state pays graphic designers the least?
West Virginia has the lowest median at $40,350.
Where are graphic designers jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Oregon at 1.66×.